Post-Game Talk: Don't Drink and Drai

[TheRebuild]

I agree. This thread is pathetic. After a loss, it’s great to come on here the next day to laugh while at work

You just have to accept the fact that this team isn't going to win every game, or.... most games for that matter. It's not a very good team. It's basically the worst team in the NHL with two of the best players in the NHL playing on it. If those two players are shut down or have bad nights, it's an instant loss - done.

 

[Draiskull]

I always love reading about how the two players most responsible for the Oilers' favourable position in the standings need to change their games. If the mostly replacement-level players that make up the bulk of the Oilers roster are trying to play the game like 97 and 29 but lack the skill to do so, the onus is on the bad players to change, not for the good players to dumb their game down.

This team doesn't have the talent to compete when McDavid and Drai aren't at their best or when they get stifled. That's a roster problem that can't be solved by them changing their game.

The game vs VAN in VAN was the best game Oilers played as a team. Rest of the games have been 2man show + others.
Tippet wants a strong team game and not 2 players roaming around while others just go on the ice to give McDrai a rest.

Hopefully Tip put them on separate lines again and continues to preach the team game. They can do their magic on PP and in OT.
Enough of these 2 min shifts.

 

[tardigrade81]

Oilers record on Sundays at Rogers Place:

3-11-3

thankfully they only have 1 more left (3rd last game of the year, March 29th)

Yikes

lately this team is just playing like a .500 team. 4 and 4 in our last 8. Koskinen bailed us out against LA otherwise would be worse. .500 hockey the rest of the way won’t get a playoff spot that’s a given.

 

[Little Fury]

The game vs VAN in VAN was the best game Oilers played as a team. Rest of the games have been 2man show + others.
Tippet wants a strong team game and not 2 players roaming around while others just go on the ice to give McDrai a rest.

Hopefully Tip put them on separate lines again and continues to preach the team game. They can do their magic on PP and in OT.
Enough of these 2 min shifts.

Tip should ask his boss for a better roster then.

No doubt McDavid and Drai can lapse into some bad habits, but I think that's a direct result of them having to carry the team and they know it.

 

[Draiskull]

I’m not a huge fan of Wreck it Ralph the coach (though he was likely one of the better of the carousel of suck leading up to Tippett), but he seems like a genuinely good person, who did not at all deserve the method of firing employed (who does?). He was as polite as I can imagine about declining the position.

JONES: Krueger on Oilers GM job: 'That's a chapter you just can't reopen' “No hard feelings. None. Not on my part. It’s just as a leader, I don’t believe in going back into a situation you were already in once,” he said. “I think getting into something new and fresh is always important. That’s kind of my personal style.

yeh, I guess you are right. He said the right things but reading between the lines it was a "holy heck no" @ going back to Edm

 

[Draiskull]

Tip should ask his boss for a better roster then.

No doubt McDavid and Drai can lapse into some bad habits, but I think that's a direct result of them having to carry the team and they know it.

His boss probably wants an increase in cap ceiling. What did McDrai think the rest of the team will look like when they negotiated their new deals?

Split them up and hope the wingers start potting them in. If not then wait for PPs while playing solid hockey at 5on5.

 

[KlefDown]

atleast Oilers are being active in their Dline ups.
Jones called up, Persson sent down.
I like this move as I like Jones more than Persson

 

[frag2]

Jokes on you we’ve played better against the big boys than we have the basement dwellers.

In all seriousness, I think we’ll be fine and the boys will rally. The narrative could have been completely different if McDavid and Draisaitl both don’t ring shots off the bar yesterday.

Maybe for McD but Drai was horrid no matter how you spin it.

 

[Little Fury]

His boss probably wants an increase in cap ceiling. What did McDrai think the rest of the team will look like when they negotiated their new deals?

Split them up and hope the wingers start potting them in. If not then wait for PPs while playing solid hockey at 5on5.

Yeah I'm not against running them on separate lines for a bit, but I'd like to see some sense of urgency from the front office to address the forward depth issue. Doesn't have to be a swing for the fences for a rental, just something to shore up the team at 5v5.

 

[OfCorsiDid]

They were coming off an ot loss in which the refs decided to try and hand them the game. This should have been a cakewalk for the Oilers. As a Nuck fan first Oilers are my other Canadain team. Sadly this team has run its 2 horses into the ground 30 games in.

Believe it or not, the Canucks have a board on here too. I think with that sort of opinion you should probably head over there.

McDrai are fine, they just had a crap game. Hell, if both of them potted their shots that went off the post we’re not even talking about this right now.

 

[Heavy Dee]

You can read Draisaitls mind?

Do you actually watch the games or just randomly pop into my posts to ask dumb questions?

 

[OfCorsiDid]

Tip should ask his boss for a better roster then.

No doubt McDavid and Drai can lapse into some bad habits, but I think that's a direct result of them having to carry the team and they know it.

In the meantime he can also ask Santa for an extra 12M of cap space.

 

[LTIR]

Yeah I'm not against running them on separate lines for a bit, but I'd like to see some sense of urgency from the front office to address the forward depth issue. Doesn't have to be a swing for the fences for a rental, just something to shore up the team at 5v5.

Did "adding" RNH and Kassian make a difference?
I don't think adding another forward will do much unless it allows us to run 3 scoring lines at ES.
PS.. enough of RNH-Neal duo.. they still haven't clicked once this season

 

[GOilers88]

You just have to accept the fact that this team isn't going to win every game, or.... most games for that matter. It's not a very good team. It's basically the worst team in the NHL with two of the best players in the NHL playing on it. If those two players are shut down or have bad nights, it's an instant loss - done.

They are far from the worst team in the NHL.

 

[guymez]

Which means we are no better than CGY or VAN.
Enjoy this ride but know that with our inability to put away struggling teams we could be near the basement of the standings by the end of the year.

Actually...it means nothing.

 

[guymez]

Hold them accountable? For keeping this team in first instead of last place?

Hey, I’m gonna run you guys into the ground, and you guys better not get tired or ever have a bad game because boy if you do, you’re sure gonna hear about it!

I can’t see what could go wrong?

Connor and Drai arent above playing defence nor should they be. Maybe Drai shouldnt stay out for extended shifts if he is tired.

 

[Oilers in NS]

It's actually the easiest month this month. We are going to drop in standings big time in January.
Dec was supposedly the easiest stretch but we have missed out on 3 pts already and Koski'd the win out of LA.

what r ya gonna do if we don’t drop?

 

[Shathar]

lol wow. that Klef interview from last night was awesome.

 

[Draiskull]

Actually...it means nothing.

So winning against STL\BOS is the same as winning against DET\LA to you then?
There are psychological effects of beating a good team or losing to a team you should have put away.
Losing to OTT and BUF will now cast doubts no matter who the opponent and no matter how big the lead.

Totally dominated the 1st period vs OTT and then laid an egg. We also only have 1 back to back win since the loss to SJS about a month ago.

 

[LTIR]

what r ya gonna do if we don’t drop?

Be pleasantly shocked?

 

[LTIR]

Connor and Drai arent above playing defence nor should they be. Maybe Drai should stay out for extended shifts if he is tired.

I am always the one crapping on Drai but even I think this thread is going too far in criticizing Drai.
I am guessing McDrai got too excited when reunited and tried to become fancy. They will be fine once they readjust with Kassian.

 

[guymez]

So winning against STL\BOS is the same as winning against DET\LA to you then?
There are psychological effects of beating a good team or losing to a team you should have put away.
Losing to OTT and BUF will now cast doubts no matter who the opponent and no matter how big the lead.

Totally dominated the 1st period vs OTT and then laid an egg. We also only have 1 back to back win since out loss to SJS about a month ago.

They have lost to some good teams and lost to some lesser teams. They have destroyed some very good teams (Colorado, Islanders, Philly and Vegas) and destroyed some weaker teams (Rangers, Columbus et al).
They have beaten some elite teams like Washington and Pittsburg and have been beaten by some weaker teams.

What does it all mean?
IMO it means the team is inconsistent and is learning how to win.

So why should losing to Ottawa and Buffalo (who is a good team by the way) cast doubts?

So far no losing streaks...that to me is the most important measure of how this team is transitioning from last years (losing) team.

 

[guymez]

I am always the one crapping on Drai but even I think this thread is going too far in criticizing Drai.
I am guessing McDrai got too excited when reunited and tried to become fancy. They will be fine once they readjust with Kassian.

They stunk defensively against Buffalo but I am not worried about it. McDavid and Drai have things in their game to clean up and it takes time to break bad habits. I am glad that Tippett is sending a message that they they will be held accountable for the parts of their game that needs to be cleaned up. Those 2 players should lead by example.
I see that as a positive not a negative.

 

[Little Fury]

Did "adding" RNH and Kassian make a difference?
I don't think adding another forward will do much unless it allows us to run 3 scoring lines at ES.
PS.. enough of RNH-Neal duo.. they still haven't clicked once this season

We can't even run two at this point so that should be the first goal.

 

[TheUltimateOiler]

Where is this news that klefbom is banged up?